Sydney shark attack victim was dive instructor

[DandyDon]

This trying to read the mind of shark is just, I don't know, pointless.

I have quietly followed the posts on this thread, but I have to offer my suggestions. Sharks do have brains, and the walnut-size is a myth: "Sharks – their brain size relative to their body weight – is actually comparable to some mammals. They are capable of learning. The myth that sharks are mindless eating machines has been dispelled. They actually eat less than you think. They can go weeks without eating. They eat three percent of their body weight a day, which isn’t much. You can get sharks to respond to some types of stimulus, such as giving a reward … they have some cognitive capacities. Not like humans, but they’re not mindless."

I don't think that they develop tastes for humans over fat seals tho. If they have a choice and can tell the difference, the seal is going to be more rewarding, except in the heat of the attack - mistakes will happen. If they sense a possible opportunity to eat, they may well go for it, and if they put that much effort into an attack, there will be follow-thru. I do not think that they are going to develop any preferences of humans with lower adipose radtios than seals.

The mistaken bit comes from wearing black wet suits which mimics the dark color/silhouette of seals/sea lions on the surface.

Yep, and that.

Yep, and that.My wife calls me Dances with Cobras for taking photo's on them on the trails I take walks on.

I've read that cobras can move 12 mph?

 

[Blackcrusader]

I've read that cobras can move 12 mph?

I am not sure. Mainly they are another animal that likes to be left alone but sometimes they don't mind a quick dance and off they go.
I am not sure I can move at 12mph anymore lol The worst snakes up here are the vipers that live up around 2000m and higher.

People warned to keep away from Taiwan pit vipers | Taiwan News | Feb. 15, 2022 10:30

www.taiwannews.com.tw

 

[NaughtyDogDiving]

Such a sad story. My condolences to the family.

 

[DandyDon]

am not sure I can move at 12mph anymore

I couldn't, at least until I fully recover from current leg work, so I'd want a head start.

 

[John the Pom]

Yeah, I'm a lot more apprehensive beng in the surf than I am diving in the open ocean since the surf is where the vast majority of attacks happen. I actually hope to see sharks when I dive.

My sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.

Most attacks in the ocean happen in the surf because that's where most of the people are.

 

[Julius SCHMIDT]

Bondi especially

a veritable schmorgashbored

 

[John the Pom]

Bait fish around, or not. From what I read, this shark attacked from below and did not just take a "sample bite". I have to wonder if this shark has tasted human flesh before....

I don't know how much sharks are motivated to feed by taste, as e.g. humans are. We use our sense of taste to choose what is good or bad to eat. Sharks have the marine equivalent of an acute sense of smell, but do they have a strong sense of taste? Maybe there is a marine biologist on the board who could tell us.

Tiger Sharks, for example, are known to eat a lot of inedible rubbish - they don't seem to select their food based on what tastes good or bad. I wonder if sharks are more opportunistic feeders, motivated by shape, movement, etc. In this case, the shark had clearly been attracted by the feeding activity in the water, but who knows why it decided on this day to attack the swimmer.

 

[Mike1967]

are we just going to eradicate them?

They're searching for the shark to catch it and move it away from the beach, not to kill it.

 

[Julius SCHMIDT]

At home I feed wild little birds and bigger birds and turkeys that happen to be passing through from babyhood to adulthood and not only do they change habits as they mature they all despite doing common bird things even chasing and fighting each other attacking threats to their territory all have quite different personalities

 

[chillyinCanada]

Not Grizzley Bears but Black bears where I live. Far worse things in the forest like wasps nests sometimes wild bee hives, and of course Cobra's. My wife calls me Dances with Cobras for taking photo's on them on the trails I take walks on. Wild boars take awhile to hunt down though. I think my diving trips have far safer environments to be in.

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"Infested by bear" an interesting translation